Among the environmental chemicals which disturb endocrine functions, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are known as the most toxic. Numerous studies in mammals revealed that dioxins and PCBs disrupt functions of the uterus, delay implantation and increase embryo loss. The direct effect of these chemicals on the avian oviduct is not known. Therefore, in the study chicken shell gland tissues were used to examine the effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), coplanar PCB126 and non-coplanar PCB153 on estrogen receptors (ERs), initiator caspase-1, executioner caspase-3 and metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) mRNA expression. Fragments of shell gland tissue isolated from the laying chicken were incubated for 24h with TCDD (100nM), PCB126 (100nM) or PCB153 (100 microM). Quantitative PCR analysis showed that: (1) TCDD increased ER beta (ERbeta) mRNA expression, (2) PCB126 increased ER alpha (ERalpha), ERbeta and caspase-1, and decreased MMP-2 mRNA expression, (3) PCB153 elevated the ERbeta and caspase-1 expression levels and (4) expression of caspase-3 was not altered by any investigated xenobiotics. The results obtained using the shell gland explants model indicate that dioxins and PCBs have a direct effect on the chicken oviduct, especially the shell gland, by affecting the expression of genes involved in the function of this oviductal segment. It is suggested that coplanar PCBs such as PCB126, by changing cellular and extracellular regulators gene expression, may lead to disruption of shell gland activity and impair egg components formed in this organ.